Ball point pen on today's newsprint

I've read a lot of analysis for why the Nets never caught on in New Jersey but they all seem to leave out the Sportschannel variable. The Nets front office made a lot of mistakes: selling Dr. J's contract to Phillie for cash, playing in an arena that was hard to get to, but I think what doomed the Nets from the start was a deal that took a new NBA team, moving to a new state, looking to build a fan base and put all their games on a premium, pay-to-watch cable channel.

Like the Julius Erving debacle, the cash grab was short sighted. By not making the broadcasts free, the local fan base never reached a point where they were willing to invest their time, interest or cash. This was during the Carter administration when unemployment was high, gas lines were long and sports on television were free. No matter how well they played (and they did have some very good years) it was like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, no one was there to hear or care. If you ever went to a home Nets game vs. the Knicks, you know that northern Jersey had plenty of basketball savvy patrons, it's just that they were already Knick fans.

Good luck building a fan base in Brooklyn, at least the games will be on basic cable.

The post So Long Nets appeared first on Larry Roibal.

Ball point pen on todays newsprint

Governor Chris Christie delivered his first State of the State Address yesterday.

The post Christie Tones Down Rhetoric appeared first on Larry Roibal.

Ball point pen on todays newsprint

Governor Chris Christie is betting on Atlantic City to come back, but will end the subsidies for New Jersey horse racing.

The post Yes To Casinos No To Ponies appeared first on Larry Roibal.

Ball point pen on todays newsprint

New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie was in South Plainfield yesterday praising start up solar company Petra Solar that grew from ten to one hundred employees in the last year.

Related posts

Tough love
Chris Christie

The post Going Green In The Garden State appeared first on Larry Roibal.

Ball point pen on todays newsprint

Has it been eighteen months already? Sharpe James, arrived back in Newark to a hero's welcome yesterday aboard Greyhound Bus # 1026.

The post Time Flies appeared first on Larry Roibal.

Sharpie on today's newsprint

Faced with a bankrupt state government, New Jersey's new governor, Chris Christie is serving up some tough love.

Happy Valentines Day!

The post Tough Love appeared first on Larry Roibal.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! It's New Jersey Governor-Elect Chris Christie's younger brother Todd.

The post Todd Christie appeared first on Larry Roibal.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

The pundits will pontificate about Obama, the economy and anti incumbancy, but in New Jersey, voters had one issue... Anyone-but-Corzine. This guy qualifies.

The post Governor Chris Christie appeared first on Larry Roibal.

In New Jersey, like most places, it's hard to get excited by our choices on election day, but I still feel it's my patriotic duty to go to the polls and choose the lesser of two evils.

The post Vote appeared first on Larry Roibal.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

New Jersey's Governor Jon Corzine was slow to learn how the union-managment relationship works. He was newly elected when he took the stage at a union rally in the state's capital to proclaim, "We will fight for a fair contract!" ...The states union members must have been confused. Whom will he fight? He was management and they were there rallying against him. Fast forward to the present downturn in the economy combined with New Jersey's balanced budget amendment and Corzine wants to have mandatory furloughs for all state employees. Unfortunately that "fair" contract may come back to haunt him.

The post Jon Corzine appeared first on Larry Roibal.